The Allensworth (Tulare County Free) Library is one of the libraries featured in the Public Library: An American Commons exhibition at the San Francisco Public Library’s Jewett Gallery, April 9 – June 12, 2011. The exhibition is part of photographer- Robert Dawson’s The American Public Library project, a photographic and historical survey of public libraries throughout the United States. Since 1994, he has traveled to sixteen states photographing public libraries and eventually will publish a large-scale. His photographs are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of American Art, and the Library of Congress.
The array of approximately seventy black and white and color photographs included in the exhibition covers the full spectrum of American libraries. Large metropolis libraries like the Boston, Massachusetts Main Library, the New York City Carnegie Library, and the African American History Museum and Library in Oakland, California. Architectural masterpieces like the Frank Lloyd Wright designed library in San Rafael, California to the Death Valley National Park Library located in a small weathered trailer. And historic libraries like California’s oldest public library in Redlands, California and the Tulare County Free Public Library at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park.
The Tulare County Library was established when the Colonel’s wife Mrs. Josephine Allensworth had the old one room school house moved to a town lot that she donated. The library’s official name was the Allensworth branch of the Tulare County Free Library, but to the residents of Allensworth it was known as the Mary Dickerson Memorial Library in honor of Mrs. Allensworth’s mother.
The small humble library, heated by a wood burning stove and lit by oil lamps, had the required table, two chairs and enough shelves to hold 1,000 books. The library’s collection began with donated books from Colonel Allensworth’s and other private collections and rapidity expanded with each allotment of new books shipped from the county.
The Mary Dickerson Memorial Library operated continuously in this building from 1913 until 1943.
Accompanying events include:
May 7, 6 pm
Gallery Walkthrough with Photographer Robert Dawson
Photographer Robert Dawson and photo curator/historian, Ellen Manchester, will lead an informal tour and discussion of Dawson’s photographs in the exhibition.
May 14, 3 pm
From Carnegie to Koolhaas: Robert Dawson’s photographs of Public Libraries: An artist talk with Robert Dawson
May 18, 6 pm
Carnegie to Contemporary: Building San Francisco Public Libraries
Panel discussion of San Francisco architects on the architecture and design of San Francisco branch libraries.
Stephen Hill, Sr.
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